Montenegro Asks Europe to Back Its Independence

ZAGREB, Croatia — Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic asked European leaders Friday to consider recognizing his Yugoslav republic as an independent state within a loose union with Serbia.

He said this should be done after talks with the government in Belgrade, now led by new Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica. But he added that he would call a referendum on independence by the middle of next year regardless of whether an agreement was reached.

Kostunica said a unilateral breakaway move would be "disastrous."

Djukanovic heads the only republic not to have split with Serbia since the socialist Yugoslav federation collapsed in 1991.